What Is Alzheimer’s Disease?何为阿尔茨海默病？

邓梦寒/译

Alzheimers disease is one of the most common type of dementia. It is a progressive disease beginning with mild memory loss and possibly leading to loss of the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to the environment.

阿尔茨海默病是最常见的痴呆症之一。它是一种渐进性疾病，从轻度丧失记忆开始，可能导致丧失会话能力和对周围环境做出反应的能力。

Symptoms of the disease can first appear after age 60， and the risk increases with age. Early-onset Alzheimers occurs between a persons 30s and mid-60s and is very rare.

该病症状可能六十岁后首现，患病风险随着年龄增长而增加。早发性阿尔茨海默病发病于三十多岁至六十五六岁之间，十分罕见。

The disease is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer. In 1906， Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness. Her symptoms included memory loss， language problems， and unpredictable behavior. After she died， he examined her brain and found many abnormal clumps （now called amyloid plaques） and tangled bundles of fibers （now called neurofibrillary， or tau， tangles）.

該病以阿洛伊斯·阿尔茨海默医生的名字命名。1906年，阿尔茨海默医生注意到一名死于罕见精神疾病的女性的脑组织曾发生病变。该女子生前症状包括记忆丧失、语言障碍和行为难测。患者去世后，他检查了她的大脑，发现了许多异常的结块（现在称为淀粉样斑块）和纤维束缠结（现在称为神经原纤维缠结或tau蛋白缠结）。

These plaques and tangles in the brain are still considered some of the main features of Alzheimers disease. Another feature is the loss of connections between nerve cells （neurons） in the brain. Neurons transmit messages between different parts of the brain， and from the brain to muscles and organs in the body.

大脑中的这些斑块和缠结现在仍然被认为是阿尔茨海默病的一些主要特征。另一个特征是大脑中神经细胞（神经元）之间的连接丧失。神经元在大脑的不同部分间传递信息，并将信息从大脑传递到身体的肌肉和器官。

Scientists do not yet fully understand what causes Alzheimers disease. There likely is not a single cause but rather several factors that can affect each person differently.

科学家们尚未完全了解阿尔茨海默病的病因。致病原因可能不止一种，而是多个因素共同作用，对不同个体产生不同影响。

What are the warning signs of Alzheimers disease？

阿尔茨海默病的前兆症状有哪些？

Alzheimers disease is not a normal part of aging. Memory problems are typically one of the first warning signs of Alzheimers disease and related dementias.

阿尔茨海默病并非衰老过程中的正常现象。记忆问题是阿尔茨海默病及相关痴呆症的典型前兆症状之一。

In addition to memory problems， someone with symptoms of Alzheimers disease may experience one or more of the following：

除了记忆问题，具有阿尔茨海默病症状的人还可能出现以下一种或多种情况：

Memory loss that disrupts daily life， such as getting lost in a familiar place or repeating questions.

丧失记忆从而影响日常生活，例如在熟悉的地方迷路或重复提问；

Trouble handling money and paying bills.

难以处理金钱和支付账单；

Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home， at work or at leisure.

在家里、工作中或休闲时难以完成熟悉的任务；

Decreased or poor judgment.

判断力下降或变弱；

Misplacing things and being unable to retrace steps to find them.

把東西放错地方，无法回溯物品放置过程以致无法找到；

Changes in mood， personality， or behavior.

情绪、性格或行为发生变化。

What to do if you suspect Alzheimers disease？

如果怀疑自己患有阿尔茨海默病怎么办？

Getting checked by your healthcare provider can help determine if the symptoms you are experiencing are related to Alzheimers disease， or a more treatable condition such as a vitamin deficiency or a side effect from medication. Early and accurate diagnosis also provides opportunities for you and your family to consider financial planning， develop advance directives1， enroll in clinical trials， and anticipate care needs.

让为您提供医疗保健服务的机构或医师检查，可以帮助诊断所出现的症状是与阿尔茨海默病有关，还是与更可控制的疾病（例如维生素缺乏或药物副作用）相关。早期和准确的诊断还可以为您和家人在规划财务、制定预先指示、参加临床试验和预测护理需求时争得先机。

How is Alzheimers disease treated？

如何治疗阿尔茨海默病？

Medical management can improve the quality of life for individuals living with Alzheimers disease and for their caregivers. There is currently no known cure for Alzheimers disease.

医疗管理可以改善阿尔茨海默病患者及其护理人员的生活质量。目前阿尔茨海默病还没有已知的治愈方法。

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration （FDA） has approved several drugs to treat people with Alzheimers disease， and certain medicines and interventions may help control behavioral symptoms. Treatment addresses several areas：

美国食品药品监督管理局已经批准了几种药物来治疗阿尔茨海默病患者，其中一些药物和干预措施可能有助于控制行为症状。治疗涉及几个方面：

Helping people maintain brain health.

帮助保持大脑健康；

Managing behavioral symptoms.

管理行为症状；

Slowing or delaying symptoms of the disease.

减缓或延迟症状的发展。

How long can a person live with Alzheimers disease？

阿尔茨海默病患者能活多久？

Alzheimers disease is currently ranked as the seventh leading cause of death in the United States， but the time from diagnosis to death varies. It may be as little as three or four years if the person is older than 80 when diagnosed， to as long as 10 or more years if the person is younger.

目前，阿尔茨海默病在美国被列为第七大死因，但从确诊到死亡的时间因人而异。如果患者确诊时年龄超过80岁，存活年限也许只有3或4年；如果患者较年轻，则可能再活10年之久或更长时间。

Support for family and friends

对家人和朋友的支持

Currently， many people living with Alzheimers disease are cared for at home by family members. Caregiving can have positive aspects for the caregiver as well as the person being cared for. It may bring personal fulfillment to the caregiver， such as satisfaction from helping a family member or friend， and lead to the development of new skills and improved family relationships.

目前，许多阿尔茨海默病患者在家中由家人照顾。照护工作对看护者和被看护者都有积极的影响。它可以带给看护者个人成就感，例如帮助家人或朋友带来的满足感，还可以学习新技能及改善家庭关系。

Although most people willingly provide care to their loved ones and friends， caring for a person with Alzheimers disease at home can be a difficult task and may become overwhelming at times. Each day brings new challenges as the caregiver copes with changing levels of ability and new patterns of behavior. As the disease gets worse， people living with Alzheimers disease often need more intensive care.

尽管大多数人愿意照料自己的亲人和朋友，但在家照顾阿尔茨海默病患者可能是一项艰巨的任务，有时可能会变得令人不堪重负。每天都有新的挑战，因为看护者需要应对患者不断变化的能力水平和新的行为模式。随着病情恶化，阿尔茨海默病患者常常需要更多的特别护理。

（译者单位：上海交通大学）